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J’AIME SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023

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S E P T / O C T 2 0 2 3<br />

<strong>J’AIME</strong><br />

Y O U R L O C A L L U X U R Y L I F E S T Y L E M A G A Z I N E<br />

Creating<br />

cosy:<br />

the autumn interiors trends<br />

you need to know<br />

Time to<br />

invest:<br />

wardrobe pieces<br />

to last through<br />

the seasons<br />

THE BIRMINGHAM ROYAL<br />

BALLET COMPANY CHAMPIONING<br />

DANCERS WITH DISABILITIES


CO N T E N T S<br />

InsideJ’aime this month...<br />

6 Author GJ Phelps - The award-winning Sutton<br />

Coldfield editor-turned-author on his spinetingling<br />

debut<br />

10 Friends of Wylde Green Train Station - How a<br />

community group have adopted their local<br />

station to encourage people back onto the<br />

trains<br />

16 Competition - Win a £100 voucher for Nippon<br />

E-Bikes<br />

18 Interiors - Autumn’s earthiest hues<br />

24 Interiors - Creating a book nook<br />

27 Curborough Craft Centre - Independent<br />

shopping at its best<br />

30 Birmingham Royal Ballet - Freefall’s unique<br />

vision for dancers with disabilities<br />

34 Food and drink - Seasonal food ideas from<br />

Dubberley Delicious<br />

38 Competition - Win tickets to Jurassic Park in<br />

Concert, plus a signed movie score<br />

40 What’s On - The best events around the<br />

Midlands this autumn<br />

44 Fashion - Invest in your wardrobe<br />

46 Beauty - Combat dry skin with Heaven<br />

Skincare’s Deborah Mitchell<br />

47 In the news - Luxury for your littlest VIPs with<br />

The Luxury Event Creche<br />

48 In the news - A family-run service at Jukes<br />

Funerals<br />

50 In the news - A successful year for Davisons<br />

Law<br />

4<br />

www.jaimemagazine.com


Welcome to <strong>J’AIME</strong><br />

We love a good spooky read here at <strong>J’AIME</strong> HQ,<br />

especially at this time of year when the nights are just<br />

starting to draw in and there’s the hint of Halloween<br />

on the horizon. So we were delighted to discover 13<br />

Doors, the debut novel by none other than awardwinning<br />

Sutton Coldfield journalist and editor - and<br />

a former colleague of Team <strong>J’AIME</strong> - GJ Phelps.<br />

The novel follows news reporter Joe Baxter on his<br />

spooky quest to stay in 13 haunted places - and takes<br />

in some settings which local readers will find familiar.<br />

We caught up with the author to discover more about<br />

what’s behind 13 Doors.<br />

And it may not be a spooky film, but those<br />

velociraptors were certainly terrifying! That’s right -<br />

Jurassic Park celebrates its 30th anniversary this year,<br />

and in honour of the blockbuster’s milestone, Jurassic<br />

Park will be shown on the big screen accompanied<br />

by a full orchestra playing composer John Williams’<br />

iconic score. We’ve got a pair of tickets to Jurassic Park<br />

in Concert in Birmingham to give away to one lucky<br />

reader, as well as a signed page from the movie’s score.<br />

Elsewhere, we chat to Birmingham Royal Ballet’s head<br />

of creative learning, Lee Fisher, about the unique<br />

Freefall dance company, which provides opportunities<br />

for talented dancers with learning disabilities, and<br />

we catch up with a Wylde Green community group<br />

who are looking to regenerate local train stations and<br />

encourage people back onto the rails for sustainable<br />

travel.<br />

With all of your usual food, fashion, beauty and<br />

interiors favourites too, we’ve got a packed issue for<br />

you to enjoy.<br />

If you enjoy what you read in this issue, then why not<br />

help us to spread the word? As well as being delivered<br />

directly to homes in selected postcodes across the<br />

area, you can pick <strong>J’AIME</strong> up free of charge in major<br />

supermarkets around the Midlands, as well as read the<br />

whole thing - and plenty more! - online at<br />

www.jaimemagazine.com<br />

EDITOR: AMY NORBURY<br />

EDITOR@JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM<br />

ADVERTISING: JAN ASHLEY<br />

ADVERTISING@JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM<br />

07388 335 931<br />

DESIGN: DESIGN@JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM<br />

CONTRIBUTORS: JACK DUBBERLEY,<br />

AMY FOX, DEBORAH MITCHELL<br />

<strong>J’AIME</strong> IS PUBLISHED BY ASHBURY<br />

PUBLICATIONS LIMITED.<br />

Check us out online at:<br />

WWW.JAIMEMAGAZINE.COM<br />

Find us on<br />

/JAIMEMAGAZINE<br />

@JAIMEMAGAZINE<br />

@JAIMEMAGAZINE<br />

www.jaimemagazine.com<br />

5


F E AT U R E<br />

Dare you open 13 Doors?<br />

AFTER THREE DECADES IN NEWSROOMS AROUND THE MIDLANDS,<br />

RENOWNED SUTTON COLDFIELD FORMER EDITOR AND JOURNALIST<br />

GARY PHELPS HAS ACHIEVED A LIFELONG AMBITION FOLLOWING THE<br />

PUBLICATION OF HIS DEBUT NOVEL - THE SPINE-TINGLING 13 DOORS.<br />

AMY NORBURY DISCOVERS MORE<br />

Gary Phelps is no stranger to a good story.<br />

As an award-winning editor and journalist,<br />

Gary honed his skills during three decades<br />

in the newsroom. And as editor of some<br />

of the region’s most respected newspapers,<br />

Gary was a leading figure in Midlands<br />

media, helping to break important stories,<br />

spearhead campaigns and bring the latest<br />

news and views to doorsteps around the<br />

areas, every week.<br />

When the time came to bow out of the<br />

newsroom, Gary forged a successful second<br />

career with his own PR consultancy,<br />

specialising in education, public affairs and<br />

industry.<br />

And now, he has channelled his lifelong<br />

love of writing and devotion to a good<br />

story into more literary pursuits. Gary’s<br />

debut novel, 13 Doors, published under<br />

the pen name GJ Phelps, hit the shelves<br />

this summer, garnering critical acclaim and<br />

five-star reviews. The spine-tingling horrormystery<br />

showcases Gary’s passion for the<br />

spookiest of genres.<br />

“I’ve always been a devotee of horror<br />

fiction and films – when I was a kid, I used<br />

to devour books by people like Stephen<br />

King and James Herbert, and I’ve never<br />

lost that love for the genre,” says Gary.<br />

“So, it’s been something of a lifelong ambition to<br />

add something of my own to the horror world, but a<br />

career in journalism got in the way for 30 years!”<br />

Taking inspiration from his time in the newsroom,<br />

13 Doors follows the eerie adventures of news<br />

reporter Joe Baxter, who has a simple idea to use<br />

his newsroom contacts across England to find<br />

thirteen haunted places to stay, and then record his<br />

experiences in a book. From an abandoned cinema<br />

to a dank pub cellar, from a World War Two airfield<br />

to a lonely, landlocked cruise liner, Joe is prepared to<br />

AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST<br />

AND DEBUT AUTHOR GJ PHELPS<br />

spend long nights in the cold and dark. But has no<br />

idea what he is about to unleash.<br />

“This was a lockdown book, which took around eight<br />

months to write and then a good time longer to finetune,<br />

but I enjoyed writing it,” says Gary.<br />

“The plot follows the main character, Joe Baxter,<br />

as he visits 13 haunted locations, a concept which<br />

brings a lot of variety – it meant that as I wrote I had<br />

a regular change of mental scenery, almost like I was<br />

visiting these places with him. I wanted the reader to<br />

feel the same effect, like they are sitting in the dark<br />

with Joe on one of his vigils, waiting for something to<br />

6<br />

www.jaimemagazine.com


happen.<br />

“It’s a horror novel, but it’s not gory – I<br />

wanted to write something that was creepy and<br />

atmospheric, and perhaps even moving too.”<br />

Gary’s former journalistic patch across the West<br />

Midlands inspired many of the settings within<br />

the novel, meaning local readers should find<br />

many points of familiarity.<br />

“The book was originally inspired by a real-life<br />

incident that happened to my family, which I<br />

won’t go into here as it would spoil elements<br />

of the story,” says Gary. “But the novel is also<br />

centred here in the West Midlands, and features<br />

landmarks like the Birmingham Catacombs in<br />

the Jewellery Quarter.<br />

“Local legends like the ghostly drummer boy<br />

who is said to haunt Sutton Coldfield’s Three<br />

Tuns pub inspired a chapter, while another was<br />

influenced by the legend that Lichfield may have<br />

got its name from some ancient battle that has<br />

been lost in the mists of time. Hopwas Woods<br />

were an inspiration too. There are lots of local<br />

connections in the book, some recognisable,<br />

some vague.”<br />

As a journalist, plenty of strange and spooky<br />

stories made their way across Gary’s desk. And<br />

elements of some of those real-life occurrences<br />

have now been immortalised in book form.<br />

“Over the years I was always fascinated by<br />

the odd, unexplainable stories that would<br />

occasionally come into newsrooms,” explains Gary.<br />

“I sort of collected them over the years, and when<br />

I came to write 13 Doors, I thought it would be<br />

unusual to weave aspects of them into the story, to<br />

THE BIRMINGHAM<br />

CATACOMBS, IN THE<br />

JEWELLERY QUARTER, PLAY<br />

A CENTRAL ROLE TO THE<br />

PLOT OF 13 DOORS<br />

give it a grounding in reality. All newsrooms have<br />

these stories if you dig a little, funny little incidents<br />

that journalists couldn’t explain.”<br />

As many budding authors will know, writing a novel<br />

is only the first part of the journey. And finding a<br />

publisher to put your work out<br />

into the world is often more<br />

difficult and time-consuming than<br />

creating that work in the first<br />

place.<br />

“The publication process took<br />

almost as long as writing the<br />

book,” admits Gary. “All I will say<br />

to anyone who’s embarking on<br />

their first novel is ‘stick at it’ and<br />

persevere!”<br />

If you’re a fan of 13 Doors’<br />

supernatural thrills and chills, the<br />

horror genre has some fantastic<br />

new voices coming through. So<br />

what are Gary’s top picks?<br />

“Horror and supernatural fiction<br />

has always been my thing, both<br />

www.jaimemagazine.com 7


ooks and movies,” says Gary. “I grew<br />

up in the 70s and 80s – part of what you<br />

could call ‘Generation VHS’. We were the<br />

kids who listened for voices in the white<br />

noise at TV closedown, said things into<br />

mirrors and watched Damian grow up.<br />

“When it comes to books, Stephen<br />

King remains the master, of course, but<br />

modern horror fiction is going through a<br />

renaissance at the moment, with lots of<br />

interesting authors about. I’d recommend<br />

The Whistling, by Rebecca Netley and<br />

Come With Me by Ronald Malfi for a<br />

start.”<br />

And while Gary has plenty of reading<br />

recommendations, 13 Doors comes with<br />

plenty of acclaim of its own.<br />

“It’s been very humbling to see the reviews coming<br />

in, and I’ve been blown away by how it’s been<br />

received,” he says. “ When you’ve poured yourself<br />

into a project like this you can only hope that people<br />

will like it, so it has been wonderful to see how<br />

readers have connected with the book, its characters,<br />

and the stories that they tell. I’m hoping now that,<br />

as Halloween approaches, more people will be brave<br />

enough to open 13 Doors!”<br />

And while 13 Doors hopefully won’t be the last we<br />

hear of Gary’s writing, he’s in no rush to start work<br />

HOPWAS WOODS INSPIRED ONE OF<br />

THE CHAPTERS OF SUPERNATURAL<br />

THRILLER 13 DOORS, WHICH<br />

FOLLOWS A JOURNALIST AS HE VISITS<br />

HAUNTED LOCATIONS<br />

on novel number two just yet.<br />

“I have a few ideas in place, but at the moment I’m<br />

concentrating on getting as many people as possible<br />

to read 13 Doors,” he says. “I’ve waited 30 years to<br />

write my first novel, so I’m enjoying the sensation of<br />

having it out there on the shelves!”<br />

13 Doors by GJ Phelps is out now, published<br />

by The Book Guild, and available in<br />

paperback and ebook format from retailers<br />

nationwide including Waterstones, WH<br />

Smith, Amazon and more.<br />

AUTHOR GJ PHELPS HAS JUST RELEASED<br />

HIS DEBUT HORROR NOVEL<br />

8<br />

www.jaimemagazine.com


Luxury Kitchens & Interiors<br />

58 Thornhill Road | Streetly | Sutton Coldfield | B74 3EN<br />

showroom@kesselerbirmingham.co.uk | www.kesselerbirmingham.co.uk | 0121 820 6995


F E AT U R E<br />

The magic of the railways<br />

RUNDOWN TRAIN STATIONS ARE BEING GIVEN A NEW LEASE OF LIFE BY GROUPS OF<br />

‘ADOPTERS’ HOPING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE BACK ONTO TRAINS FOR SUSTAINABLE<br />

TRAVEL. AMY NORBURY SPOKE TO THE FRIENDS OF WYLDE GREEN TRAIN STATION TO<br />

FIND OUT MORE<br />

As many of us are looking to lessen our<br />

environmental footprint by reducing energy<br />

consumption, cutting down on food waste or<br />

avoiding single-use plastics, it’s difficult to overlook<br />

the impact of our methods of transport.<br />

Opting for public transport over driving our cars<br />

can help to reduce our carbon footprint significantly.<br />

However, unreliable services and neglected or<br />

vandalised stations make this option much less<br />

appealing.<br />

But that’s not always the case.<br />

Neighbours Nikki Wright and Dawn Whitfield are<br />

passionate about making a difference to their Wylde<br />

Green community - and the transport hub at its<br />

heart. The duo co-founded Friends of Wylde Green<br />

Train Station and have adopted the station in order<br />

to create a more pleasant space for everyone who<br />

passes through.<br />

Friends of Wylde Green Train Station was formed<br />

in October 2020, and the group now has more than<br />

20 adopters who work closely with West Midlands<br />

Railways to make things happen.<br />

Their aim is to make Wylde Green Train Station<br />

a much loved space for all to enjoy, improving<br />

the biodiversity for plants and wildlife and, most<br />

importantly, encouraging the public back onto the<br />

trains as a sustainable way to travel.<br />

Anyone who has visited or travelled through Wylde<br />

Green Station over recent months will be familiar<br />

with the fox mural by local artist Annatomix, as well<br />

as former Young Poet Laureate Fatma Mohiuddin’s<br />

poem that brought the Fox to life. Add to that the<br />

vibrant green corridor, the endless showcasing of<br />

local art in the notice boards and the photo boards<br />

on the platforms, and Wylde Green is a very different<br />

kind of station indeed.<br />

Nikki and Dawn enthusiastically dream up<br />

new projects and bid for grants from various<br />

organisations. Many of the plants are donated from<br />

neighbouring gardens and allotments and local<br />

artists give their artwork for free to display.<br />

NEIGHBOURS DAWN WHITFIELD<br />

AND NIKKI WRIGHT ARE CO-<br />

ADOPTERS OF WYLDE GREEN<br />

TRAIN STATION<br />

The group also networks with other local community<br />

groups, has presented at a local Eco festival and<br />

church, created a community pocket garden,<br />

displayed art in a high street cafe and are proud<br />

members of Birmingham Outside Space Forum.<br />

And where Nikki and Dawn have led, others have<br />

followed. Chester Road, Shenstone and Lichfield<br />

City stations are also adopted, with Blake Street next<br />

on the list. A newly-formed Community Station<br />

Partnership called The Spaghetti Line has also<br />

been constituted. A CSP can bid for a bigger pot of<br />

money and the long term plan is to promote every<br />

station on the Northern X City line as a destination<br />

station.<br />

Like-minded individuals can join already-formed<br />

groups, but anyone who lives close to stations on the<br />

X City line are also being encouraged to set up a<br />

group and make a difference.<br />

And with Nikki and Dawn there to support new<br />

volunteers at every step of the way, the future of<br />

public transport in this neck of the woods looks ever<br />

brighter.<br />

Friends of Wylde Green Train Station are<br />

on social media and really appreciate new<br />

followers and likes. If you are interested in<br />

getting involved in a group email spaghetti.<br />

csp@gmail.com<br />

10 www.jaimemagazine.com


Local writer Amy Fox is a homeeducating<br />

mum of three children. She<br />

is passionate about connecting people<br />

with the nature on their doorsteps and<br />

enjoys appreciating the small, often<br />

overlooked details while finding fresh<br />

ways to observe and celebrate them.<br />

Here she shares her thoughts on the<br />

Wylde Green station project:<br />

“The train journey into Birmingham. As a small<br />

child, I memorised the stations: pictured lions and<br />

tigers prowling the jungle of shrubs behind the picket<br />

fence at Wylde Green; imagined dry sledging down<br />

the (I presumed) gritty slopes of<br />

Gravelly Hill; enjoyed the satisfying,<br />

climatic rhyme of ‘Erdington…<br />

Aston, Duddeston’ which swept the<br />

train into the yawning, subterranean<br />

maelstrom of Birmingham New<br />

Street.<br />

“Later as an adult commuting<br />

to work in the City Centre, the<br />

magic of the trip having inevitably<br />

expired, they blurred hazily into<br />

one: the coordinated signage, the<br />

corrugated shelters, the occasional<br />

fast-food bag or crisp packet<br />

blowing along the empty platforms<br />

like tumbleweed as the train pulled<br />

out no longer a matter of any<br />

interest.<br />

“Later still, house hunting with a non-driving friend<br />

considering a move to Boldmere, we inspected Wylde<br />

Green Station in more detail, wondering about the<br />

safety of a late-night walk home to an empty house<br />

and noting critically the forlorn, scrubby passageways<br />

that ran behind the platforms, leading to the road.<br />

“Now, with three children of my own, some of the<br />

magic of the train journey has returned. At Wylde<br />

Green, something else has changed as well.<br />

“Pulling into Wylde Green Station, the immediate<br />

impression is of a place that is cared for. In an<br />

antidote to the uniformity of West Midlands<br />

Railway orange, the ranks of poles and lampposts<br />

lining the platform have been tenderly wrapped in<br />

brightly coloured knitted coats: ‘friendly graffiti’,<br />

commissioned by the Friends of Wylde Green Train<br />

Station and devised by local crafters to mark the<br />

Coronation of King Charles III.<br />

“Under the sign denoting the station’s name, an<br />

artwork commemorating the 2022 Commonwealth<br />

Games depicts pairs of athletes delineated in<br />

punched metal, seeming miraculously to move as the<br />

light dances behind the holes.<br />

“The real magic, though, is just slightly more hidden.<br />

At the end of the platform, a ramp leads down to the<br />

path that circumnavigates the station. Approaching<br />

the bottom, the murmur of voices from the station<br />

platform is gradually supplanted by the faint hum of<br />

satisfied bees. The once somewhat dingy pathway is<br />

now alive and bustling with flowers; in its own way,<br />

as busy as the platforms at rush hour.<br />

“The bright yellow suns of calendula rise<br />

irrepressibly among the lacy, reddening embers of<br />

herb Robert leaves, the delicate pink herb Robert<br />

flowers peeping shyly between the stems. Perennial<br />

THE FRIENDS OF WYLDE<br />

GREEN TRAIN STATION WORK<br />

TIRELESSLY TO MAKE THE<br />

STATION A BETTER SPACE<br />

www.jaimemagazine.com 11


PRETTY WILDFLOWERS NOW<br />

COVER THE AREA<br />

sunflowers thrust confidently skyward while more<br />

reserved crocosmia bow gracefully beside them.<br />

Nasturtiums and valerian romp down a bank<br />

like tumbling children. A mallow bursts with<br />

bright pink flowers like the bows on a perfectly<br />

wrapped gift; a privet is a cumulus of blossom<br />

and bees. Everywhere there’s a confetti of tiny<br />

star-like nipplewort flowers, as if a galaxy has<br />

been grabbed from the sky and left to fall.<br />

“After crossing the railway tracks, the path<br />

doubles back. In a shadowy niche under the<br />

bridge a giant fox is caught mid-pivot. Painted<br />

by local artist Annatomix as a tribute to the<br />

urban foxes that call the station their home,<br />

its contours hug the graffiti-scarred old brick<br />

wall, all angles, muscles and power. Its vibrant<br />

orange seems to glow, imbuing what would once<br />

have been a dreary, inhospitable corner with a<br />

luminous energy.<br />

“The rhythmic Morse code chatter of a blue<br />

tit erupts from a sycamore, punctuating the<br />

sleepy summer day soundtrack of the wood<br />

pigeons swaying on the catenary lines above the<br />

train tracks. Beside the path stately hollyhocks,<br />

wearing their blooms like fascinators, chaperone<br />

huddles of lavender heads, their fragrance<br />

leaking into the air like a whispered secret.<br />

Mounds of oregano, its pink, white and purple<br />

flowers piled like produce at a wholesale<br />

farmers’ market, draw crowds of bumblebees<br />

and hoverflies. The bees approach purposefully:<br />

they visit a flower then move onto the next, their<br />

pollen baskets brimming; the hoverflies seem to<br />

browse more hesitantly, taking time to survey the<br />

bounty before committing to a choice.<br />

“As the path nears the platform again, the<br />

planting reaches a crescendo with the patch<br />

known as the meadow. Here, the intricate<br />

magenta and white doilies of sweet William<br />

flowers jostle with long-tongued phacelia and the<br />

fairytale pink and silver of rose campion. Where<br />

the flowers have self-seeded, they’ve gradually<br />

nudged their way down the bank towards the<br />

front of the bed like eager commuters pressing<br />

forwards at the approach of a train, but all<br />

feels quite amicable, with native and non-native<br />

species equally embraced and valued. Slender<br />

verbena stems mingle shoulder to shoulder<br />

with coarser spear thistles, both prized by<br />

pollinators and, in their way, equally beautiful.<br />

Even stinging nettles are welcomed for their vital<br />

role as host plants for butterflies, albeit ushered<br />

politely towards the back of the bed where they<br />

won’t cause offence.<br />

THE EYECATCHING FOX MURAL<br />

BY LOCAL ARTIST ANNATOMIX<br />

12 www.jaimemagazine.com


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THE GROUP HAS GROWN OVER<br />

THE PAST THREE YEARS<br />

“All of this is the work of the Friends of Wylde<br />

Green Train Station. They planned, planted and<br />

tended the flowers and artwork that have<br />

transformed the station’s green corridors,<br />

and evidence of their continued solicitude for<br />

this oasis and the biodiversity it nurtures is<br />

everywhere. An ungainly teasel, its flowerhead<br />

heavy with appreciative bumblebees, has<br />

been meticulously propped up with a bamboo<br />

cane. Wildflowers like garlic mustard and<br />

green alkanet, beloved by pollinators but<br />

so often dismissed in the garden under the<br />

unjustified umbrella term of ‘weeds’ have been<br />

lovingly labelled to help visitors give them the<br />

acknowledgement they deserve. An information<br />

board, produced in partnership with Butterfly<br />

Conservation, explains the importance of<br />

planting for pollinators and extols the virtues of<br />

often-overlooked plants like garlic mustard and<br />

nettles.<br />

“It is July when I visit and, while many flowers<br />

are at their peak, others have by now died back<br />

or gone to seed; yet this confers a beauty all<br />

its own. Spent bluebells are everywhere – in<br />

May, the station must have been awash with<br />

them – their papery cups peeling open to<br />

reveal the seeds like nests of tiny eggs. The<br />

minute, perfect orbs of cleavers seeds scramble<br />

through the helter-skelter twists of willowherb<br />

fluff, wiry wood avens burrs and the translucent,<br />

shimmering moons of honesty. A sycamore seed<br />

is caught on a withered cleavers stem like a lost<br />

kite. Even in death, there is life everywhere.<br />

Spiders’ webs traverse the spaces between the<br />

dried stems; a snail with a shell like inlaid wood<br />

rests on a skeletal cow parsley flower. A broken<br />

poppy stalk is black with aphids, busily tended<br />

by a pair of ants crawling unceremoniously over<br />

their tiny bodies.<br />

“Nothing here is wasted when it has the<br />

potential to nurture life. Prunings have been<br />

collected and woven into dead hedges to create<br />

homes for minibeasts and small mammals like<br />

hedgehogs. Logs have been carefully arranged<br />

to form habitat piles. A fallen tree trunk forms<br />

a backdrop for planting. Every opportunity has<br />

been taken to add magic. Walking from the<br />

platform towards the car park, a wall built from<br />

old railway sleepers supports a bed of hart’s<br />

tongue ferns, purple toadflax and nodding<br />

campanula. At the base of one of the sleepers<br />

there’s a tiny fairy door, painted with toadstools,<br />

flowers and delicate lanterns. You have to look<br />

carefully to spot it. But Wylde Green Station<br />

merits a careful look.”<br />

WYLDE GREEN TRAIN STATION<br />

IS NOW A SPACE FOR THE<br />

COMMUNITY TO BE PROUD OF<br />

14 www.jaimemagazine.com


CO M P E T I T I O N<br />

Win a £100 E-Bike voucher<br />

<strong>J’AIME</strong> HAS TEAMED UP WITH SUTTON COLDFIELD’S NIPPON E-BIKES TO OFFER<br />

READERS THE CHANCE TO WIN A £100 VOUCHER TOWARDS THEIR OWN E-BIKE<br />

Nippon E-Bikes are your local go-to destination for<br />

all your electric bike needs. Whether you’re looking<br />

to convert your current ride or invest in a brand-new<br />

e-bike, their knowledgeable team is here to assist you<br />

every step of the way.<br />

For outdoor enthusiasts, e-bikes are the perfect<br />

companion. They provide an opportunity to explore<br />

and experience more, whether you’re camping,<br />

caravanning, or travelling by motorhome. If you<br />

want to enhance your fitness and overall well-being,<br />

an e-bike offers a fantastic solution that gets your<br />

heart pumping while enjoying the great outdoors.<br />

Sustainable commuting options have never been<br />

more accessible. With many employers now offering<br />

cycle schemes, you can save up to 48% on the cost of<br />

a new e-bike. Nippon E-Bikes offer 0% interest-free<br />

financing options through their finance partner. They<br />

cater to every budget, whether you’re looking for a<br />

folding, commuter, off-road, or mountain e-bike.<br />

Nippon’s E-Bikes can travel up to 50 miles on a<br />

single charge, but this may vary depending on factors<br />

like weight, terrain, and settings. It usually takes<br />

about six to seven hours to charge your batteries fully.<br />

Once charged, you’re ready to go! Battery costs vary,<br />

but a complete charge will be around 10p depending<br />

on your tariff. To put this into perspective, a washing<br />

machine cycle costs about 30p, and a toaster costs<br />

2.5p.<br />

If you’re into e-bikes, you’ll likely know Nippon’s<br />

brand partners: Wisper, Juicy/NeoMouv, RooDog,<br />

and MiRiDER. Nippon have got their bikes in stock,<br />

so you can find the perfect one to suit your needs.<br />

They also have their own Nippon brand, which<br />

offers reasonably priced e-bikes, starting at just £950.<br />

While some online sellers may seem cheaper,<br />

choosing a reputable supplier for your e-bike is<br />

important to avoid safety issues with batteries and<br />

charges that could be dangerous for you and your<br />

family.<br />

Nippon understand that choosing the right e-bike<br />

can be overwhelming, so they offer a try-before-youbuy<br />

e-bike trial that can be easily booked online or at<br />

their local showroom.<br />

Nippon E-Bikes are based at Unit 8c, Reddicap<br />

Trading Estate, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham,<br />

Sutton Coldfield B75 7BU. Pop in or call 0121 311<br />

0313 for more information.<br />

The competition!<br />

<strong>J’AIME</strong> has teamed up with Nippon E-Bikes to offer readers the<br />

chance to win a £100 voucher to spend in store. For your chance<br />

to win, simply answer the following question:<br />

How much does it cost to charge the average e-bike battery?<br />

Fill in the entry form online at https://t.ly/ebikecompetition or scan<br />

the QR code to enter.<br />

The competition closes at 5pm on Friday, October 27, <strong>2023</strong>, and the winner will be<br />

notified by email after the closing date. Terms and conditions apply. For more details<br />

visit www.jaimemagazine.com<br />

16 www.jaimemagazine.com


I N T E R I O R S<br />

Down<br />

to earth<br />

AS we head into the autumnal months, there’s a soothing<br />

vibe coming through as interiors take inspiration from<br />

Mother Nature’s earthiest tones.<br />

Perfect for anyone looking to get away from the ‘grey for<br />

days’ decor trend, earth tones have become the neutrals<br />

of choice in recent seasons, offering a warmer and more<br />

comforting palette than the cooler grey hues.<br />

Shades of taupe, latte and terracotta pair with creamier<br />

whites to create a natural canvas for your home, while<br />

warmer hues of cocoa and rust add warmth and depth to<br />

your colour scheme.<br />

Offering a more boho, mid-century modern feel, these<br />

earthy tones are easy to incorporate into every room of<br />

the home, and provide a complementary backdrop to the<br />

natural wood tones which are surging in popularity when<br />

it comes to furniture.<br />

When decorating with neutrals, texture and layering are<br />

essential. Emphasise the warmth of your earth tones with<br />

warm metallics such as bronze or gold, and add plenty of<br />

soft furnishings in natural fabrics such as wool, linen or<br />

sheepskin to create that cosy atmosphere.<br />

MODA MASTERCRAFT RUG, PART OF A STUNNING<br />

SELECTION AVAILABLE AT TATLOW CARPETS, LICHFIELD.<br />

WWW.TATLOWCARPETS.CO.UK<br />

£26.95<br />

£79<br />

TEALIGHT TRIO IN TERRACOTTA, HONEY<br />

AND SAND, CONCRETE & WAX.<br />

WWW.CONCRETEANDWAX.COM<br />

KNUT NOUGAT WOOL THROW, COUNTRY<br />

MOUSE. WWW.COUNTRYMOUSE.CO.UK<br />

£45<br />

BLOOMINGVILLE ISOLD VASE,<br />

CUCKOOLAND.<br />

WWW.CUCKOOLAND.COM<br />

£45<br />

EMBER CANDLESTICK HOLDER<br />

IN BROWN, CULT FURNITURE.<br />

WWW.CULTFURNITURE.COM<br />

18 www.jaimemagazine.com


Artist Impression<br />

Embrace a worry-free lifestyle you<br />

and your loved ones can enjoy<br />

Discover an inspiring new retirement<br />

community in Wylde Green<br />

When you rightsize and buy an Adlington retirement apartment<br />

at Broadleaf House in Wylde Green, purpose built for later life,<br />

you also open up new opportunities within a thriving community<br />

of like-minded people. With access to a host of fully maintained<br />

facilities including a restaurant*, hair salon* and landscaped<br />

gardens, and an on-site team available 24/7, 365 days a year,<br />

you can spend more quality time doing the things you love, free<br />

from everyday worries.<br />

Marketing Suite<br />

now open<br />

Monday to Saturday<br />

10am - 5pm<br />

Broadleaf House,<br />

Birmingham Road, Wylde<br />

Green, Sutton Coldfield,<br />

B72 1DH<br />

Request a brochure and find out more<br />

Call 0121 817 8680 • Visit adlington.co.uk/JA<br />

*Additional charges apply.


£POA<br />

TARU CHAISE WITH FOOTSTOOL, LIGNE<br />

ROSET. WWW.LIGNE-ROSET.COM/UK<br />

£64.99<br />

TAHITI WOODEN SALT AND PEPPER MILL<br />

DUO IN COCOA AND HAZELNUT, PEUGEOT.<br />

UK.PEUGEOT-SAVEURS.COM<br />

£95<br />

£165<br />

SLUBBY KNIT THROW IN TERRACOTTA,<br />

LOAF. WWW.LOAF.COM<br />

MORSE CUSHION COVER IN NATURAL/<br />

BROWN, OKA UK. WWW.OKA.COM<br />

£14<br />

TAKAI PENDANT LIGHT IN BEIGE<br />

BY SOFIE LEFÈVRE, LIME LACE.<br />

WWW.LIMELACE.CO.UK<br />

CHOCOLATE BROWN MUG WITH<br />

BRAIDED HANDLE, ROSE & GREY.<br />

WWW.ROSEANDGREY.CO.UK<br />

£219.95<br />

SMEG FAB28 FRIDGE IN TAUPE, AVAILABLE<br />

FROM KESSELER BIRMINGHAM.<br />

WWW.KESSELERBIRMINGHAM.CO.UK<br />

18 www.jaimemagazine.com


CUSTOM-MADE ORGANIC, RUSTIC<br />

TEXTURED BROWN ROLLER BLINDS,<br />

FROM £32.50, ENGLISH BLINDS.<br />

WWW.ENGLISHBLINDS.CO.UK<br />

LEXINGTON BED, £529.99, FURNITURE AND CHOICE.<br />

WWW.FURNITURECHOICE.CO.UK<br />

PIANCA EDEN ARMCHAIR, AVAILABLE<br />

FROM KESSELER BIRMINGHAM.<br />

WWW.KESSELERBIRMINGHAM.CO.UK<br />

IGGY HIGH BACK THREE SEAT SOFA IN<br />

CINNAMON SMART VELVET, £2,650, AND<br />

QUINN NEST COFFEE TABLE, £975.<br />

WWW.SOFA.COM


I N T E R I O R S<br />

Creating luxury<br />

TURN YOUR BATHROOM DESIGN DREAM INTO REALITY WITH A VISIT TO<br />

SUTTON COLDFIELD INDEPENDENT BATHROOM RETAILER BATHART<br />

The bathroom packs more in than any other room -<br />

and it’s a place where you can let your design dreams<br />

run wild to create a luxurious, tranquil haven of<br />

relaxation. Your bathroom, too, is certainly a place<br />

where it pays to invest in quality.<br />

If you’re looking to update your bathroom, Bathart<br />

are an independent bathroom and tile retailer with<br />

more than 20 years of experience designing luxury<br />

bathrooms across the West Midlands.<br />

Based at the Mitchells Centre in Sutton Coldfield,<br />

Bathart has been designing, supplying and installing<br />

bathrooms from leading designer brands such as<br />

Villeroy and Boch and Duravit for more than two<br />

decades.<br />

Since moving into larger premises at the centre last<br />

year, Bathart can offer an even more comprehensive<br />

showcase of the highest quality bathroom fixtures<br />

and fittings on the market.<br />

The new showroom features an array of luxury<br />

bathroom and tile displays - perfect for inspiring<br />

your bathroom design journey. With brand names<br />

including Keuco, Ashton and Bentley, Flair, Elisa,<br />

The Shower Lab, Tissino, Hurlingham and many<br />

more, the team at Bathart are well equipped to make<br />

all your bathroom dreams come true.<br />

From the initial design consultation right through to<br />

the full installation of your new luxury bathroom,<br />

everything is done in-house. As the only independent<br />

luxury bathroom showroom in Sutton Coldfield<br />

which fully employs its own team of installation<br />

staff, Bathart ensures the highest quality of service is<br />

achieved from start to finish.<br />

As you would expect, Bathart’s excellent reputation<br />

is reflected in an array of glowing reviews, including<br />

more than 70 five-star ratings on Google alone.<br />

Bathart is located at Mitchells, Weeford Road, Sutton<br />

Coldfield, B75 6NA. For more details call 0121 439<br />

4884 or visit the website at www.bathart.co.uk<br />

22<br />

www.jaimemagazine.com


tatlowcarpets<br />

&flooring<br />

AUTUMN SALE<br />

20% OFF RIVIERA HOME CARPETS<br />

throughout September and October<br />

(selected ranges)<br />

Why not make a feature of your stairs at home.<br />

We overlock our runners in-store to the colour<br />

edging you prefer.<br />

VISIT OUR STAND AT<br />

GRAND DESIGNS - NEC<br />

OCT 4TH - OCT 9TH<br />

OFFERING THE ULTIMATE IN LUXURIOUS GARDEN ROOMS<br />

HOME OFFICES · PRIVATE GYM · ENTERTAINMENT<br />

HUB · TRANQUIL RETREAT<br />

Looking for inspiration for your<br />

home, get the best advice from<br />

the team at Tatlow’s.<br />

@Tatlowcarpets<br />

@Tatlowcarpets<br />

@Tatlowcarpets<br />

Let us transform your ideas into reality, crafting<br />

bespoke luxurious spaces that reflect your unique<br />

style and preferences.<br />

Choose a company that use the finest materials,<br />

expert craftsmanship and unwavering attention to<br />

detail.<br />

We guarantee that you won’t find a better price for a<br />

‘like for like’ product. We are committed to offering<br />

unbeatable value without compromising on quality.<br />

Your garden deserves the epitome of luxury,<br />

functionality and style at prices that cannot be beaten.<br />

Please see our website for further details<br />

www.tatlowcarpets.co.uk<br />

Tel: 01543 264766<br />

Open to the public. Mon-Fri: 9.00am - 5.00pm. Sat: 10.00am - 4.00pm<br />

Unit 4, Europa Way, Britannia Enterprise Park, Lichfield, Staffs, WS14 9TZ<br />

FOR A FREE CONSULTATION<br />

CALL 01543 505505<br />

www.exquisiteltd.co.uk<br />

Unit 7a, Progress Drive, Cannock WS11 0JE


I N T E R I O R S<br />

Read the<br />

room<br />

THERE’S nothing quite like cosying up in your favourite<br />

armchair with a good book to soothe the soul. And giving<br />

yourself the time - and most importantly, the space - to<br />

enjoy the latest bestseller, or that classic page-turner you<br />

come back to time and time again, is key.<br />

Enter the book nook.<br />

This dedicated space, furnished with a comfy chair, mood<br />

lighting and book storage aplenty, taps into the design<br />

world’s emphasis on self-care - creating those spaces within<br />

our homes which are ultimately there to enable us to relax<br />

and unwind.<br />

The book nook should be an intimate space, so it doesn’t<br />

mean sacrificing a lot of room to create one. You can<br />

take advantage of a home’s natural features such as a<br />

bay window or alcove to transform into a cosy reading<br />

area, but carving out a small space in a larger room works<br />

equally well. The key is to mark the area with carefully<br />

chosen furniture pieces - a chair, naturally, as well as a<br />

small table or bookcase to house your favourite works -<br />

and pay attention to creating a cosy atmosphere with a<br />

reading light and some cosy soft furnishings.<br />

MOLTENI & C D.357 GIO PONTI BOOKCASE, £3,980, GO<br />

MODERN FURNITURE. WWW.GOMODERN.CO.UK<br />

£2,270<br />

£89<br />

£399.99<br />

BELGRAVIA MAGAZINE RACK IN<br />

BROWN LEATHER, WHERE SAINTS GO.<br />

WWW.WHERESAINTSGO.CO.UK<br />

ABERDEEN CHAIR IN JUNIPER EASY CLEAN<br />

PLUSH VELVET, DARLINGS OF CHELSEA.<br />

WWW.DARLINGSOFCHELSEA.CO.UK<br />

£35<br />

GINGKO SMART BOOK<br />

LIGHT IN NATURAL WOOD.<br />

WWW.GINGKODESIGNSTORE.COM<br />

PARQUET BRUSHED AND GLAZED<br />

SOLID OAK SMALL BOOKCASE,<br />

OAK FURNITURELAND.<br />

WWW.OAKFURNITURELAND.CO.UK<br />

24 www.jaimemagazine.com


CHILL-SEEKER LOVESEAT IN CLEVER<br />

WOBBLY COTTON, £1,445, LOAF.<br />

WWW.LOAF.COM<br />

VOX RIBBON TALL BOOKCASE,<br />

£745, CUCKOOLAND.<br />

WWW.CUCKOOLAND.COM<br />

THE CLOUD SUNDAE 1.5 SEATER<br />

SNUGGLER IN PINE GREEN, £809,<br />

SNUG SOFA. WWW.SNUGSOFA.COM<br />

ROTTERDAM BOOKCASE WITH TWO DOOR STORAGE SPACE IN<br />

MANGO WOOD, £699.99, DESSER & CO. WWW.DESSER.CO.UK<br />

22 www.jaimemagazine.com


F E AT U R E<br />

A countryside gem<br />

EXPERIENCE A PEACEFUL SHOPPING EXPERIENCE IN A LOVELY RURAL SETTING AWAY FROM<br />

THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF MODERN LIFE AT CURBOROUGH COUNTRYSIDE CENTRE<br />

This picturesque centre has been developed<br />

over the past 30 years and is now home to many<br />

brilliant independent businesses, including<br />

retailers, artists and designers and Lichfield’s<br />

very own brunch café Thyme Kitchen.<br />

Curborough is a mixture of traditional and<br />

contemporary independents. There are retailers<br />

selling a whole host of wonderful items and<br />

bespoke gifts, and it is also home to talented local<br />

artists and craftspeople.<br />

Situated off Eastern Avenue, just minutes from<br />

Lichfield city centre, Curborough is easy to<br />

reach.<br />

Plenty of free car parking without time<br />

restrictions gives you time to explore the site and<br />

enjoy everything on offer.<br />

Now that the summer holidays are over many<br />

people are starting their Christmas shopping<br />

and Curborough certainly offers a wide range of<br />

places to tick off your Christmas list.<br />

Curborough Gift Shop is bursting with gift ideas,<br />

cards, beautiful scarves, jigsaws and so much more,<br />

while Metamorphic Charm offers bespoke silver<br />

jewellery and jewellery-making workshops.<br />

Treat yourself to handmade organic soaps and home<br />

fragrance products at The Little Bath and Body<br />

Barn, while Eden Gallery in the Hexagon Centre<br />

has a diverse and eclectic range of artwork and<br />

sculptures which offer great quality and value for<br />

money.<br />

The incredibly talented artist Kara Strachan has a<br />

studio on-site, located opposite Curborough Antiques<br />

Centre, which is another highlight. A family-run<br />

business established in 1995, the centre offers a wide<br />

selection of furniture and collectables provided by<br />

independent dealers.<br />

Luv Felt is run by textile artist and designer Louise<br />

who specialises in felt making with exotic fibre<br />

including the finest wools and silks. All products are<br />

hand-made and individual, including bags, scarves,<br />

wall hanging and much more.<br />

For those that prefer to buy local produce and home<br />

reared beef and lamb from a local farm, a visit to<br />

Bradbury Farm Shop is a must. Still on the food trail,<br />

the Cheese, Gin and Ale Barn is well worth a visit<br />

- here you can pick up British gins and whiskeys, as<br />

well as local cheese, ale and other speciality produce.<br />

Curborough is also home to Lichfield Garden Centre<br />

which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. They offer<br />

a great range of plants and gardening items from<br />

plant pots to seeds and bulbs, through to fertilisers<br />

and compost, as well as a great range of gifts for<br />

gardeners.<br />

There are a lot more businesses on site so when<br />

all have been explored take a rest and visit Thyme<br />

Kitchen for a cracking cuppa and a slice of cake, a<br />

beautiful scone from Made by Mabels or one of their<br />

famous brunch dishes. The restaurant is dog friendly<br />

and fully licensed, and if you have a special occasion<br />

it is also available for private hire.<br />

A small section of Watery Lane will be fully closed<br />

resulting in a diverted route to access Curborough<br />

Countryside Centre this autumn. The road<br />

closure begins on September 4 and will last for<br />

approximately 12 weeks, but the centre will remain<br />

fully accessible via the diversion during this time.<br />

For more information visit<br />

www.curboroughcoutrysidecentre.com<br />

www.jaimemagazine.com<br />

27


curborough hall farm<br />

c o u n t r y s i d e c e n t r e<br />

business directory<br />

the courtyard<br />

Kara Strachan Art<br />

Curborough Hall<br />

Antique Centre<br />

Luvfelt<br />

Thyme Kitchen<br />

pool walk<br />

Bradbury’s Farm<br />

Shop & Butchery<br />

The Stable<br />

Takeaway<br />

The Cheese,<br />

Gin & Ale Barn<br />

the mill<br />

Curborough Gift<br />

Shop<br />

Metamorphic<br />

Charm<br />

​the hexagon centre<br />

C.J Fortey<br />

Chiropody &<br />

Podiatry<br />

Cute Beauty Room<br />

Eden Gallery<br />

Foxglass of<br />

Curborough &<br />

Foxglass Artspace<br />

Hair by Tilly<br />

weighbridge workshops<br />

G.A. Cannell<br />

Memorials<br />

Lichfield Piano<br />

Services<br />

Little Bath & Body<br />

Barn<br />

the arches<br />

Curious Souls<br />

Children’s<br />

Collection<br />

Lichfield Garden<br />

Centre<br />

Phoenix Interiors<br />

enjoy a relaxed<br />

shopping experience with<br />

free parKing at curborough<br />

countryside centre with a<br />

variety of independents<br />

#supportlocal<br />

www.curboroughcountrysidecentre.com<br />

Kara strachan gallery<br />

Kara Strachan Art<br />

creates vibrant original<br />

seascapes, landscapes<br />

and floral paintings<br />

Kara offers workshops<br />

and exhibitions and<br />

welcomes all visitors to<br />

see her painting her latest<br />

subjects in her studio<br />

gallery.<br />

www.karastrachan.com<br />

curborough gift shop<br />

Stocking a range of<br />

gifts, jigsaws, scarves<br />

& accessories, candles<br />

& toiletries, stationery,<br />

greeting cards & gift<br />

wrap from Noel Tatt,<br />

Rosie Made A Thing,<br />

Powder, Lily-flame,<br />

Cotswold Lavender,<br />

East of India, Wrendale,<br />

Gibsons, Ravensburger<br />

and lots more!<br />

luvfelt<br />

Louise is a wool<br />

artist and felter who<br />

creates colourful<br />

paintings from wool<br />

and silk. Also vessels,<br />

wall hangings,<br />

fashion and home<br />

items.<br />

Commissions<br />

and workshops<br />

welcomed.<br />

eden gallery<br />

Specialists in Original and<br />

Limited Edition<br />

artwork for over 30 years.<br />

We feature a comprehensive<br />

range of framed art from<br />

established international<br />

artists. We also stock<br />

a wide selection of<br />

affordable sculptures by<br />

talented sculptors from<br />

across the UK.<br />

www.edenartandframing.co.uk


golf &<br />

country<br />

club<br />

wood end lane<br />

This Autumn a section of Watery<br />

Lane will be fully closed from<br />

the Eastern Aevenue end. A<br />

diversion will be in place to<br />

allow access to the Centre.<br />

The map shows the proposed<br />

road closure and official diversion<br />

which began on September 4th<br />

<strong>2023</strong> and is planned for 12 weeks.<br />

Please allow extra journey time when<br />

planning your visit - we look forward to<br />

welcoming you!<br />

A51<br />

the hedgehog<br />

A515<br />

police<br />

station<br />

elmhurst<br />

grange lane<br />

morrisons<br />

A5192<br />

lichfield<br />

watery lane<br />

ambulance<br />

station<br />

curborough<br />

sprint course<br />

curborough<br />

countryside<br />

centre<br />

new housing<br />

development<br />

streethay<br />

wo<br />

OPEN | Tuesday - Sunday from 10am-4pm<br />

Curborough Hall Farm Countryside Centre,<br />

Watery Lane, Lichfield, WS13 8ES<br />

diversion<br />

beacon park<br />

*Individual businesses may operate outside these times<br />

A38<br />

little bath & body barn<br />

Discover a gorgeous<br />

selection of locally handmade,<br />

organic, vegan,<br />

natural soaps, bath salts,<br />

home fragrance, candles<br />

and beauty products.<br />

Taking inspiration from<br />

the seasons these fabulous<br />

products make beautiful<br />

gifts or simply a well<br />

deserved treat for you!<br />

waitrose<br />

A51<br />

bradbury farm shop<br />

At Bradbury’s farm shop<br />

we are proud to bring our<br />

home reared and locally<br />

sourced meat to our<br />

traditional butchery.<br />

We also pride ourselves<br />

on sourcing from high<br />

quality producers and<br />

farmers.<br />

Fresh | Local | Seasonal<br />

bradburysfarmshop@mail.com<br />

metamorphic charm<br />

Specialising in bespoke<br />

silver jewellery,<br />

handmade in Lichfield<br />

by Designer-Maker<br />

Nikola Woodhall.<br />

Also offering creative<br />

jewellery making<br />

workshops, available to<br />

book throughout the<br />

week at a time to suit you.<br />

www.metamorphiccharm.com<br />

thyme Kitchen<br />

Lichfield’s Brunch<br />

Cafe! Serving beautiful<br />

breakfasts and brunches<br />

made fresh, with<br />

locally sourced quality<br />

ingredients. Also offering<br />

Afternoon Teas, Sunday<br />

Roasts. Available for<br />

private hire. Named Casual<br />

Dining Restaurant of the<br />

Year <strong>2023</strong> at MFDHA.<br />

www.thymekitchen.co.uk


F E AT U R E<br />

Freefalling into dance<br />

A GROUNDBREAKING MIDLANDS DANCE COMPANY WHICH CHALLENGES PERCEPTIONS<br />

AND GIVES OPPORTUNITIES FOR TALENTED DANCERS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES IS<br />

CELEBRATING ITS 21ST ANNIVERSARY THIS MONTH. AMY NORBURY DISCOVERS MORE<br />

FREEFALL DANCE<br />

COMPANY IS CELEBRATING<br />

ITS 21ST ANNIVERSARY.<br />

PHOTO BY DREW<br />

TOMMONS<br />

Every week for two hours at Birmingham Royal<br />

Ballet’s studios, a group of ten highly gifted dancers<br />

meet to hone their classical dance skills, work<br />

on exciting new choreography and prepare for<br />

performances. Working alongside Birmingham Royal<br />

Ballet staff, freelance artists, senior teachers and<br />

teaching assistants, the dancers of Freefall Dance<br />

Company have been breaking new ground with their<br />

accomplished and innovative ballet work for the past<br />

21 years.<br />

But the thing which makes Freefall stand out in the<br />

dance world is that each of the exceptionally talented<br />

dancers has learning disabilities.<br />

Formed in 2002, Freefall evolved from a number<br />

of different projects in partnership with Fox Hollies<br />

Special School in Birmingham, a school with<br />

performing art status.<br />

Freefall’s artistic director Lee Fisher, Head of<br />

Creative Learning at Birmingham Royal Ballet<br />

and himself a former BRB soloist, saw immense<br />

beauty in the unique movements of the dancers at<br />

Fox Hollies and recognised the need for provision<br />

for post-school young people with a passion and<br />

commitment towards dance. And so, Freefall was<br />

formed.<br />

Freefall continuously achieves and exceeds beyond<br />

expectations and stereotypes. The dancers’ hard<br />

work and determination to succeed enables them<br />

to improve and create breathtaking dance routines<br />

admired by critics. Their impressive performance<br />

films have received international acclaim and the<br />

annual Freefall showcase performance is a highlight<br />

of the Midlands dance calendar.<br />

The company’s 21st anniversary, which launches on<br />

September 18, is set to be celebrated with a festival<br />

of newly-created dance pieces, performances, films<br />

and an exhibition at Birmingham Hippodrome.<br />

Lee says: “Freefall was about creating opportunity<br />

and provision, but equally, if not more so, being<br />

excited by the creativity and the aesthetic that these<br />

young people had, and about giving a platform for<br />

those talented dancers.<br />

“Initially, it was formed with six dancers, who we’d<br />

worked with through those previous projects, not<br />

least Cafe Atlantic, which was a project based on<br />

David Bintley’s ballet ‘Still Life’ at the Penguin Café.<br />

It was about giving those guys an opportunity for<br />

more structured and formal dance training, but also<br />

a space to be creative, to be choreographers and to<br />

be performers and, like BRB, to build a repertoire.”<br />

30 www.jaimemagazine.com


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Freefall’s dancers are identified through various other<br />

projects, and go through a rigorous induction process<br />

to ensure the dancer and company are a good fit.<br />

“The nature of Freefall and the intensity of some of<br />

the rehearsal and performance periods, the work we<br />

do on films, may not suit every dancer so we will be<br />

really careful with our recruitment and selection,”<br />

says Lee.<br />

“Continuity has been really important and it’s also I<br />

think an inherent value for Freefall. It’s up to them<br />

when they join Freefall and they stay until it doesn’t<br />

suit them. All the Freefall members have an interest<br />

in dance and performance, and require something<br />

different to traditional dance processes, due to the<br />

level of support they need in some of their day-today<br />

tasks and ways of communicating.<br />

“Very early on, in partnership with co-founder<br />

Keith at Fox Hollies, we found that the way we were<br />

working was dovetailing the values and principles of<br />

classical ballet, with its deference for passed down<br />

tradition and shared language, with the values of<br />

community dance, which is about empowerment,<br />

and the belief that everybody can dance.<br />

“There’s very little arts provision for people with<br />

a learning disability full stop, hence one of the<br />

purposes of the company. The sessions themselves<br />

are very structured, and have developed over time<br />

with our own rituals and processes, which actually<br />

I think the dancers with learning disabilities really<br />

appreciate that familiarity, and that opportunity to<br />

share a common language and technique.”<br />

While there are many proven benefits of dance<br />

for people from all walks of life, and all abilities,<br />

the dancers of Freefall would struggle to access<br />

traditional dance provision, which is limited for<br />

people with disabilities who need extra support.<br />

Freefall fills that gap.<br />

“Freefall would not survive without the committed<br />

families around the edges,” says Lee. “None of<br />

THE TALENTED DANCERS HAVE CREATED<br />

ACCLAIMED WORK. PHOTO BY ALEX GRIFFITHS<br />

FREEFALL’S ARTISTIC<br />

DIRECTOR AND FORMER BRB<br />

SOLOIST LEE FISHER. PHOTO<br />

BY GREG MILNER<br />

our dancers really travel independently, so that’s a<br />

challenge; it relies on very dedicated families who see<br />

the value in it.<br />

“Dance training can also be expensive as well, and<br />

traditional dance provision would not be at the right<br />

pace for the typical Freefaller to engage with. Could<br />

it be accessible and meaningful, physically and<br />

cognitively for dancers like Freefallers? Probably not.<br />

“It’s not about the medical model of disabilities and<br />

deficits. Freefall shows what’s possible and creates an<br />

entertaining evening that people just want to come to<br />

and enjoy, be moved by, and be inspired by.<br />

“I think one of the reasons why Freefallers keep<br />

coming back is because it gives them a sense<br />

that they are really adding value as artists and<br />

performers. Quite often, Freefallers are reliant<br />

on other people but in Freefall they are not<br />

taking from others, they’re giving.”<br />

As well as building a sense of pride for the<br />

dancers, the company is important as the<br />

Freefallers inspire others.<br />

“The dancers have grown as performers,<br />

creators, and dance technicians in many<br />

ways,” says Lee.<br />

“Because we’ve had the luxury of long-term<br />

commitment from multiple partners, the<br />

32 www.jaimemagazine.com


Freefallers have developed an enviable ballet<br />

technique. They’ve developed as performers<br />

through consistent continuous regular<br />

opportunities to perform and their films have<br />

educated them in the process of dance for the<br />

camera.<br />

“One of the things that’s always surprising<br />

is when Freefallers go out into different<br />

communities and share and teach others,<br />

whether trainee teachers, comedians<br />

or dance artists, their own peer group<br />

or younger children. When you teach<br />

something, you automatically develop a<br />

deeper understanding of it, as it requires you<br />

to interrogate a little bit more what it is that you’re<br />

doing. They’ve developed through their teaching,<br />

seeing their leadership and the facilitation of other<br />

groups.”<br />

Over the past 21 years, Freefall has grown both its<br />

number of dancers and its extensive repertoire, and<br />

has performed in quirky places such as the Bullring<br />

Shopping Centre, Birmingham Airport, Coventry<br />

Transport Museum and places across the city indoors<br />

and outdoors.<br />

“I’m really proud of the repertoire, it’s undoubtedly<br />

unique,” says Lee. “Some serious pieces to pure<br />

movement, to pieces with a strong storytelling and<br />

narrative element.<br />

“Freefall has grown too; we started with six dancers,<br />

FREEFALL DANCERS HAVE<br />

DEVELOPED ENVIABLE<br />

BALLET TECHNIQUE. PHOTO<br />

BY ALEX GRIFFITHS<br />

THE FREEFALLERS REHEARSE WEEKLY IN THE<br />

BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET STUDIOS. PHOTO<br />

BY GREG MILNER<br />

now we’re at 10. We still have some founder<br />

members and we’ve also recruited slowly and<br />

carefully along the way. I think the success stories are<br />

those dancers who’ve watched Freefall from an early<br />

age and aspired to join the company having seen<br />

themselves in Freefall who are role models.<br />

“Samantha came from Uffculme Special school to<br />

be a part of Junior Freefall Company at 12 or 13 and<br />

went through her education with a passion for dance,<br />

achieved a bachelor’s degree at Wolverhampton<br />

University in dance writing a dissertation on<br />

Freefall, and has now come back full circle as a paid<br />

apprentice dance artist.”<br />

The 21st anniversary festival is set to be a celebration<br />

of the achievements of Freefall, and the joy the<br />

company brings to its dancers and audiences alike.<br />

Lee says: “We’re super excited about the festival.<br />

Freefall, in small teaching teams, have gone out<br />

into five communities - three educational and two<br />

community settings. They are facilitating groups,<br />

all of which have a personal connection to the<br />

Freefallers or the Freefall story. They are creating<br />

dance pieces which will be performed in the Patrick<br />

Studio at Birmingham Hippodrome woven together<br />

by Freefall.<br />

“The overarching theme is ‘Still Life’ at the Penguin<br />

Café taking us full circle back 21 years. Among<br />

the festival activities, we’re creating two films. One<br />

is a documentary that will track the participatory<br />

project. The other is an archive film which is part of<br />

an exhibition at Birmingham Hippodrome. At the<br />

end of the festival week, there’ll be a Film Night for<br />

invited people to come and enjoy the body of film<br />

work that the company has developed.”<br />

Freefall’s festival week runs from November 13,<br />

while the exhibition is on through to March 2024.<br />

For further details about Freefall and the 21st<br />

anniversary festival, visit www.brb.org.uk or find<br />

Freefall on social media.<br />

www.jaimemagazine.com 33


F O O D & D R I N K<br />

The fruits of autumn<br />

LICHFIELD CHEF JACK DUBBERLEY, OF DUBBERLEY DELICIOUS, TAKES A LOOK<br />

AT SOME OF THE BEST SEASONAL PRODUCE AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW - AND HOW<br />

TO MAKE THE MOST OF NATURE’S LARDER<br />

Autumn may be upon us, but the weather<br />

doesn’t seem to have got the message. While<br />

continental Europe has basked in months of<br />

unforgiving heat, our British summer has been<br />

typically, well, British. But now the calendar has<br />

turned to September, the rainy days seem to<br />

have given way to a mini heatwave.<br />

And while we’re grateful for a last hurrah of<br />

sunshine, the unpredictable weather has played<br />

havoc with seasonal fresh produce.<br />

“The wet, cold summer has affected quite a lot<br />

of things,” says Jack Dubberley. “We’ve struggled<br />

with broad beans; we’ve either been unable to<br />

get them, or they’ve been poor quality.<br />

“Fresh peas, too, have been difficult to get. Last year<br />

we had similar problems with supply, but because<br />

it was too hot! Farmers have so much trouble with<br />

the extremes of weather; so many things appear<br />

early, or don’t produce at all! Last year we had some<br />

unseasonably warm weather in December, and we<br />

had strawberries trying to come back!”<br />

The change in season brings about a change in<br />

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colour, as the brightness of summer berries and fresh<br />

greens gives way to earthier hues.<br />

“Things like cauliflower and celeriac will start<br />

to come in, as produce becomes less bright and<br />

colourful at this time of year,” says Jack.<br />

With so many varieties on offer, however, summer<br />

strawberries will remain a favourite at the start of<br />

autumn; although the berries we see at the time<br />

of year tend to be smaller than their summer<br />

counterparts.<br />

While apples are a supermarket staple year-round,<br />

with hundreds of varieties grown in countries and<br />

climates around the world, English apples come to<br />

the fore as autumn rolls around.<br />

“One of my favourite dishes for this time of year<br />

is Mangalitza pork belly, which is a special breed<br />

which is fattier than normal pork, but cooked in the<br />

right way, the fat just melts; it’s beautifully soft, and<br />

created a really nice dish,” says Jack.<br />

“I serve it with apple - pork and apple is a classic<br />

combination - making a Bramley apple puree, which<br />

has just the right amount of tartness to cut through<br />

the fat.<br />

“I also pickled some Granny Smith apples, just to<br />

add an extra dimension, and finish with a black<br />

pudding crumb.<br />

“It’s a lovely dish for autumn, something a bit<br />

heartier for the changing season.”<br />

As the autumn nights draw in, game will start<br />

34 www.jaimemagazine.com


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JACK’S MENUS MAKE THE MOST<br />

OF SEASONAL PRODUCE<br />

making an appearance on menus.<br />

“September is right at the start of game season, but<br />

as we get into October you’ll see more and more,<br />

particularly things like venison,” says Jack.<br />

And October will also bring squashes to the fore,<br />

as your traditional pumpkins come into season.<br />

Although Jack recommends leaving pumpkins for<br />

Halloween carving and opting for other, tastier<br />

seasonal squashes.<br />

“Traditional pumpkins have such thick skin, that they<br />

take so much effort to peel - I personally don’t think<br />

they’re worth the effort when other squashes are<br />

easier to deal with, and taste better too,” says Jack.<br />

“Butternut squash adds a nice touch of colour at this<br />

time of year. You can roast it in its skin, and I like<br />

to serve it with venison, kale, chilli, garlic and some<br />

golden raisins. The squash is a nice substitute for<br />

potato in a hearty dish.”<br />

For another splash of colour, English varieties of<br />

beetroot are another thing to look out for.<br />

“There are so many different varieties; as well as<br />

purple, you get golden and candy, which can be<br />

sweeter,” says Jack.<br />

“Purple beetroot is lovely, just simply roasted with a<br />

bit of salt, bit of oil and a splash of water, wrapped<br />

in foil and cooked on a lower heat for a couple of<br />

hours. Pair it with goats’ cheese or feta for a lovely<br />

veggie dish.”<br />

When it comes to foraging, blackberries are the<br />

star pickings at the start of autumn. This popular<br />

hedgerow berry is easy to find and perfect for<br />

creating many autumnal puds - or just scoffing as you<br />

pick.<br />

“Blackberries grow wild everywhere,” says Jack.<br />

“They’re not forced, they’re a natural wild berry and<br />

we have them in abundance around here.<br />

“A fantastic dessert to make now is egg custard served<br />

with blackberries; again, the sweet-sharp blackberries<br />

are perfect for cutting through the rich egg custard.<br />

“Blackberries are great for an easy jam, just cook<br />

them down with some jam sugar. You could also<br />

make a blackberry cordial, or even a blackberry gin,<br />

while chefs will also ferment blackberries; it gives a<br />

different flavour and adds another dimension to a<br />

dish.<br />

“Make sure you wash your blackberries well though,<br />

to get rid of any little bugs; soak them in water with<br />

a little bit of vinegar then lift them out of the bowl,<br />

leaving anything which has come out of the berries<br />

in the bottom.”<br />

Jack’s top<br />

seasonal tips:<br />

Forage for: Blackberries - they grow in<br />

abundance in hedgerows everywhere,<br />

and are perfect for making a wide<br />

variety of dishes.<br />

Cook it now: Game dishes will start<br />

to appear, while English varieties of<br />

beetroot can be the hero of vegetarian<br />

dishes.<br />

FORAGE THE HEDGEROWS<br />

FOR BLACKBERRIES<br />

36 www.jaimemagazine.com


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CO M P E T I T I O N<br />

Win tickets to Jurassic<br />

Park in Concert<br />

<strong>J’AIME</strong> IS GIVING YOU THE CHANCE TO WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO WATCH JURASSIC PARK<br />

IN CONCERT IN BIRMINGHAM ON <strong>OCTOBER</strong> 21, AS WELL AS A SHEET FROM THE FILM’S<br />

RENOWNED SCORE, SIGNED BY THE LEGENDARY JOHN WILLIAMS HIMSELF<br />

In celebration of the<br />

blockbuster’s 30th anniversary,<br />

Jurassic Park will be shown<br />

on the big screen in arenas<br />

throughout October. Giving<br />

audiences the chance to see the<br />

sci-fi classic like never before,<br />

the film will be accompanied by<br />

the renowned Hallé Orchestra,<br />

who will perform John<br />

Williams’ iconic score live on<br />

stage.<br />

Coming to the Resorts World<br />

Arena in Birmingham on<br />

Saturday, October 21, the music<br />

and epic motion picture will be<br />

brought to life like never before.<br />

Tickets for Jurassic Park In<br />

Concert are on sale now via<br />

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<strong>J’AIME</strong> is giving you the chance to win a pair of tickets to Jurassic Park In Concert at<br />

Resorts World Arena, as well as a score sheet signed by John Williams.<br />

To enter, simply answer the following question:<br />

Jurassic Park is celebrating which anniversary this autumn?<br />

Send your answer, along with your name and contact details, by email to competitions@jaimemagazine.com with the<br />

subject heading Jurassic Park Competition. Entries must be received by 12pm on Wednesday, October 11 and the winner<br />

will be drawn and notified by email after the competition is closed. Usual competition terms and conditions apply.<br />

Visit www.jaimemagazine.com for further details.<br />

Specific terms and Conditions: The prize offered is one pair of tickets to see Jurassic Park In Concert at Birmingham<br />

Resorts World Arena on 21 October <strong>2023</strong>, as well one score sheet from the Jurassic Park score, signed by John Williams.<br />

Train tickets, fuel, parking, meals, drinks and accommodation are NOT included. If the winner is unable to attend, no<br />

alternative will be offered, and the prize will be offered to the next runner-up. If tickets to the concert at the specified<br />

venue are unavailable, tickets to see the concert at an alternative venue will be offered.<br />

38<br />

www.jaimemagazine.com


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W H AT ’ S O N<br />

What’s On this autumn<br />

AS SUMMER FADES AND THE NIGHTS DRAW IN, THERE’S PLENTY TO KEEP YOU<br />

OCCUPIED AROUND THE MIDLANDS THIS AUTUMN. HERE WE ROUND UP SOME IDEAS<br />

TO KEEP THE WHOLE FAMILY ENTERTAINED.<br />

WHAT: GAIA AND JOURNEY THROUGH<br />

CREATION<br />

WHERE: LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL<br />

WHEN: <strong>SEPTEMBER</strong> 22 TO NOVEMBER 5<br />

This Autumn sees Lichfield Cathedral celebrate<br />

our Earth in a series of exhibitions, artwork and<br />

events for the whole community, all underneath the<br />

beautiful artwork Gaia by Luke Jerram.<br />

Luke Jerram’s seven metre wide artwork, Gaia, will<br />

be suspended in the Nave of Lichfield Cathedral<br />

from September 22 until November 5. The artwork<br />

uses NASA imagery to recreate a rotating Earth,<br />

allowing visitors to contemplate our fragile blue<br />

planet from a different perspective, usually reserved<br />

for astronauts.<br />

Part of Luke’s vision for Gaia is that people will<br />

understand the fragility of our planet and will be<br />

inspired to protect it for future generations. Lichfield<br />

Cathedral have taken this theme and created an<br />

exhibition called Journey Through Creation, that<br />

will run alongside Gaia’s installation.<br />

The exhibition will take visitors through the account<br />

of creation in the Bible using mini-installations<br />

around the Cathedral, to celebrate the wonders<br />

of our planet. Installations will include artwork<br />

from children who have taken part in the children’s<br />

activities over the summer. There will be an<br />

aquarium, a garden space, floating clouds and much<br />

more to explore.<br />

More information and tickets are available on<br />

Lichfield Cathedral’s website at<br />

www.lichfield-cathedral.org/gaia<br />

WHAT: BLACK SABBATH - THE BALLET<br />

WHERE: BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME<br />

WHEN: <strong>SEPTEMBER</strong> 23 TO 30<br />

The world premiere of Black Sabbath - The Ballet<br />

comes to Birmingham Hippodrome this month.<br />

A full-length, three-act, Ballet Now commission,<br />

this brand-new work brings together a host of<br />

international creatives including lead Swedish<br />

choreographer Pontus Lidburg, Cuban designer<br />

Alexandra Arrechea, Tony Award-winning composer<br />

Christopher Austin with additional choreographers<br />

Raúl Reinoso and Cassi Abranches and composers<br />

Marko Nyberg and Sun Keting.<br />

The ballet will feature eight Black Sabbath tracks<br />

and the music will be re-orchestrated for the Royal<br />

Ballet Sinfonia, with new compositions inspired by<br />

Black Sabbath also performed live by the orchestra.<br />

On the stage guitars and drums will be integrated<br />

into the performance.<br />

Black Sabbath - The Ballet is the second<br />

Birmingham-focussed commission from Birmingham<br />

Royal Ballet director Carlos Acosta. The first, City<br />

of a Thousand Trades which looked at the city’s<br />

industrial heritage and multicultural communities,<br />

premiered in 2021.<br />

For more information and ticket details visit<br />

www.birminghamhippodrome.com<br />

40 www.jaimemagazine.com


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• Floristry<br />

• Chapels of Rest<br />

• 24 Hour Service<br />

• Religious & Non Religious Services<br />

Tel: 01543 522300<br />

117-119 High Street<br />

Brownhills WS8 6HL<br />

www.jukesandastonfuneralservices.com<br />

Tel: 01543 415050<br />

26 Tamworth Street<br />

Lichfield WS13 6JJ<br />

www.jukesfuneralservices.com<br />

Tel: 01827 58590<br />

231b Glascote Road<br />

Tamworth B77 2AZ<br />

www.jukesdobsonfuneralservices.com


WHAT: AUTUMN EVENTS<br />

WHERE: NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM, ALREWAS<br />

WHEN: SELECTED DAYS THROUGHOUT AUTUMN AND WINTER<br />

As the autumn draws in and the trees turn from green<br />

to gold, discover amazing things and inspiring stories<br />

at the National Memorial Arboretum. Nestled among<br />

150-acres of growing woodland and gardens are<br />

more than 400 memorials that remember people from<br />

all walks of life. Tales of camaraderie, inspirational<br />

leaders, heroism, resilience shown in the darkest<br />

moments, grit, bravery, and care; each memorial has<br />

a powerful story to tell and visitors to the Arboretum<br />

leave feeling uplifted and inspired.<br />

The Arboretum has something for all visitors to<br />

enjoy, from a large restaurant where you can get a<br />

warming coffee and cake, to beautiful autumnal walks,<br />

interesting free daily talks that help bring stories to<br />

life, and memory making events and school holiday<br />

activities. The Arboretum grounds also provide a quiet<br />

year-round space for reflection and contemplation.<br />

During November, public services of Remembrance<br />

will be held on Armistice Day, November 11, and<br />

Remembrance Sunday, November 12, as well as to<br />

open the Royal British Legion Field of Remembrance<br />

on November 3. All are encouraged to attend,<br />

but due to the expected high visitor numbers it is<br />

recommended that you book parking in advance of<br />

your visit.<br />

Towards the end of the year, from December 7 to<br />

23, the Arboretum will once again host Illuminated<br />

Arboretum, a fascinating winter light trail with a<br />

brand-new route for <strong>2023</strong>. Stretching for around a<br />

mile, the trail features breathtaking light, mesmerising<br />

sound and interactive installations suitable for all ages.<br />

Advance pricing runs until 5 November so book soon<br />

to avoid disappointment!<br />

The Arboretum is free to enter and is open throughout<br />

the year. The Arboretum is easily accessible by<br />

road and is located just off the A38 between Burton<br />

and Lichfield. Visit thenma.org.uk for further<br />

information and to book.<br />

42 www.jaimemagazine.com


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FA S H I O N<br />

Fashion that lasts<br />

AS THE FASHION WORLD’S ETHOS CONTINUES THE MOVE FROM FAST FADS TO BUYS<br />

THAT LAST, MAKE THIS AUTUMN THE TIME TO INVEST IN SOME KEY WARDROBE PIECES<br />

WHICH WILL BE YOUR STYLE CORNERSTONES FOR YEARS TO COME<br />

IT was the late Dame Vivienne Westwood who extolled the<br />

virtues of “Buy less, choose well, make it last.” And it was the<br />

iconic designer’s maxim which played out as the main focus<br />

of the autumn/winter catwalks, nearly a year after her death<br />

in December 2022.<br />

While it’s never been easier to get your fast fashion fix,<br />

thanks to the endless stream of websites popping up to hawk<br />

cheaply-made, mass-produced goods shipped to your door for<br />

pennies, there’s a sense of rebellion in the air as timelessness<br />

has overtaken trends as the watchword on the catwalks.<br />

And with the environmental and ethical concerns raging<br />

around fashion’s consumerism, we’re seeing a shift to a more<br />

conscious approach to dressing. This season’s hottest trend?<br />

Pared-back wardrobe staples in quality fabrics which you’ll<br />

be able to return to season after season.<br />

There are some things which never go out of style - a classic<br />

white shirt, a black woollen coat, quality denim - and while<br />

they may cost a little more to start, the investment will pay<br />

off in the long run with minimal cost-per-wear over their<br />

lifespan.<br />

It may feel more cost effective to spend a fiver on a basic<br />

white T-shirt, but when it’s shapeless, discoloured and<br />

unwearable after after a only couple of washes, suddenly<br />

the £50 T-shirt which fits like a dream, washes beautifully<br />

and still looks brand new after years of wear doesn’t seem so<br />

expensive.<br />

And while it may feel like buying cheaply enables you to<br />

update your style more often, there are certain wardrobe<br />

items where it definitely pays to make an investment. The<br />

classic winter coat, the wear-with-everything leather loafers,<br />

the staple knee-high-boot; these are all items which you’ll<br />

reach for time and time again, so opting for quality means<br />

you’ll be able to enjoy your favourites for longer.<br />

An investment wardrobe is something which can be built<br />

up over time, so take a look at what you wear most and start<br />

there, perhaps adding just one or two timeless pieces to your<br />

arsenal each season. As well as looking and fitting better,<br />

quality fabrics feel better to wear too, meaning you’ll get<br />

more enjoyment out of your pricier pieces - and that’s surely<br />

worth the investment.<br />

BORDLEY KNIT MIDI<br />

DRESS, £159, BARBOUR.<br />

WWW.BARBOUR.COM<br />

44 www.jaimemagazine.com


£239<br />

£100<br />

LEVI’S 501 STRAIGHT LEG<br />

MID RISE JEANS.<br />

WWW.LEVIS.COM<br />

BARBOUR GRETA SHOWERPROOF<br />

TRENCH COAT. WWW.BARBOUR.COM<br />

£479<br />

£145<br />

£75<br />

GOLDSMITH BLACK LOAFERS, DUNE<br />

LONDON. WWW.DUNELONDON.COM<br />

TEPI TAN KNEE-HIGH BOOTS, DUNE<br />

LONDON. WWW.DUNELONDON.COM<br />

CARRIE ROSE WOOL COAT,<br />

IVY OAK AT HARVEY NICHOLS.<br />

WWW.HARVEYNICHOLS.COM<br />

LINEN SHIRT £49, TWILL TROUSERS £39,<br />

BELT £26 & SANDALS £69, ALL JOHN LEWIS.<br />

WWW.JOHNLEWIS.COM<br />

THE WHITE COMPANY<br />

CASHMERE JUMPER, £110.<br />

WWW.THEWHITECOMPANY.COM


B E AU T Y<br />

Secrets to nourishing dry skin<br />

DRY SKIN IS FRUSTRATING AND UNCOMFORTABLE, AND CAN BE CAUSED BY A VARIETY OF<br />

FACTORS INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES, AN INADEQUATE SKINCARE ROUTINE AND<br />

AGEING. ROYAL FACIALIST AND FOUNDER OF HEAVEN SKINCARE DEBORAH MITCHELL OFFERS<br />

ADVICE ON ACHIEVING A HYDRATED AND HEALTHY COMPLEXION<br />

What Is Dry Skin?<br />

Our skin feels dry when the natural oils and water in our<br />

epidermis diminish, leading to flakiness, uneven tone and<br />

noticeable fine lines. Many of us suffer dryness as we get<br />

older – especially as we head off menopause – because<br />

ageing skin struggles to maintain hydration. You may<br />

scratch your face a lot, so ditch products with harsh<br />

chemical ingredients that only cause further irritation.<br />

Instead chose organic skincare that rebalances, hydrates<br />

and heals.<br />

You may also find that your daily moisturiser alone<br />

doesn’t help, so layer your products to ensure your skin<br />

is protected. Serums, for example, penetrate deeper to<br />

help rebalance your natural oils. Combine one with a<br />

moisturiser rich in nutrients and antioxidants to provide<br />

nourishment.<br />

Top Tip For Dry Skin:<br />

Tea and coffee won’t offer relief because they are both<br />

diuretic. Tea contains tannins, once used to dry meat,<br />

while coffee stimulates the kidneys. Water, and plenty of<br />

it, is your best friend! Steer clear of salty and sugary treats<br />

and alcohol, too. Go for hydration-boosting foods – like<br />

watermelon, strawberries, peaches, oranges, cucumber –<br />

that contain up to 95% water.<br />

HEAVEN MUST-HAVES FOR DRY SKIN:<br />

Hydro Cleansing Milk: This cleanser may be gentle<br />

but it effectively removes impurities without stripping the<br />

skin of its natural oils. Enriched with natural ingredients,<br />

it nourishes and hydrates leaving your complexion feeling<br />

refreshed and revitalised.<br />

Chamomile Hydrogel: A clever blend of delicate<br />

chamomile and Echinacea help normalise the skin,<br />

while organic witch hazel reduces redness. It’s ideal for<br />

controlling dryness, sensitivity issues, acne, rosacea and<br />

eczema.<br />

WillowBee Mask & Cleanse: Packed with botanical<br />

goodness, it detoxes your skin, heals imperfection and<br />

targets signs of ageing, thanks to the addition of natural<br />

willow tree bark. Massage into your face after cleansing<br />

and leave on for 10 minutes before rinsing. Alternatively<br />

you can apply before bedtime, leave overnight and wash<br />

off the next morning.<br />

Divine Cream: Suitable for all skin types, it works<br />

particularly well on more mature complexions thanks to<br />

its innovative anti-ageing properties. It’s bursting with<br />

organic mandarin and orange to increase collagen and<br />

elastin levels. And that adds up to a more youthful and<br />

radiant complexion.<br />

Age Defiance Cream: Use day and night to pep-up<br />

dry skin, plump out fine lines and prevent breakouts as<br />

its vitamin B content soothes irritation. Apply to clean<br />

skin morning and evening, and for an extra beauty boost<br />

combine with one of my serums.<br />

Bee Polish: Exfoliation is crucial for dry skin as it helps<br />

remove dead skin cells and promotes cell turnover. My<br />

Bee Polish gently exfoliates and provides moisture and<br />

nourishment. It reveals a brighter, smoother complexion<br />

and enhances the absorption of subsequent skincare<br />

products.<br />

SOS Oil Serum: This potent serum works wonders for<br />

dry and dehydrated skin. It provides an intense moisture<br />

boost, soothes irritation and restores natural radiance. It<br />

can be used as a daily facial oil or as a targeted treatment<br />

for dry patches.<br />

Heaven Skincare by Deborah Mitchell is available<br />

from Heaven Health & Beauty, 13a Market Place,<br />

Shifnal, Shropshire. You can also shop the range<br />

online at heavenskincare.com.<br />

46 www.jaimemagazine.com


I N T H E N E W S<br />

Luxury for your little ones<br />

IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO ADD A FUN-FILLED PAMPERING EXPERIENCE FOR<br />

YOUR LITTLEST VIPS AT YOUR WEDDING OR SPECIAL EVENT, THE LUXURY<br />

EVENT CRECHE IS ON HAND TO OFFER ALL THIS AND MORE<br />

Parents and guests can enjoy<br />

your big day, all while knowing<br />

their children are in good hands,<br />

and you can relax knowing that<br />

all the children at your event will<br />

be spoiled with fun and games,<br />

thanks to the services of The<br />

Luxury Event Creche.<br />

Founded by qualified primary<br />

school teacher Jessica McCance-<br />

Davis and events planner and<br />

mum-of-two Rebekah Watson,<br />

The Luxury Event Creche is the<br />

perfect addition to your big day,<br />

enabling parents and children<br />

alike to enjoy your event to the<br />

maximum.<br />

You can pop your children in and out of the creche<br />

throughout the day, allowing you and your guests to<br />

spend time with them while enjoying the day. At the<br />

creche, your children will be entertained with fun<br />

games, dress up, and bespoke activities! You and your<br />

guests can use this creche and keep your children<br />

nearby, should you require an extra hug or two.<br />

The joy of The Luxury Event Creche is that, as<br />

a parent, you can relax and enjoy the wedding or<br />

event you are at. The Creche is never far away<br />

and knowing that Jess is a qualified primary school<br />

teacher instantly puts your mind at rest.<br />

The creche isn’t compulsory, meaning you can pop<br />

your children in and out as you please. This way,<br />

you can still enjoy the day with them, safe in the<br />

knowledge that they have their own fun to keep them<br />

occupied during the speeches!<br />

The whole duration of the crèche is tailored to your<br />

little VIPs and their ages. Jess and Becky will play<br />

games, dress up, make their mealtime fun and it<br />

will feel like an event all of their own. The children<br />

will come away feeling like they have had their own<br />

special experience that they will remember.<br />

Jess and Becky also understand that you will have<br />

spent months, maybe years, dreaming of your special<br />

event, choosing your colour themes and carefully<br />

planning every aspect of what the day will look<br />

like. With that in mind, they will ensure the creche<br />

complements your event décor perfectly.<br />

The Luxury Event Creche is fully insured, DBS<br />

checked, and all the staff have received mandatory<br />

health and safety training, as well as first aid.<br />

To find out how you and your little ones can both<br />

receive the special treatment you deserve on such a<br />

momentous occasion, reach out to Jess and Becky at<br />

www.theluxuryeventcreche.co.uk or find The<br />

Luxury Event Creche on social media.<br />

The decision of whether children are invited or not,<br />

doesn’t seem like such a difficult decision anymore!<br />

www.jaimemagazine.com<br />

47


I N T H E N E W S<br />

A first class service for families<br />

THE FAMILY-OWNED JUKES GROUP FUNERAL BUSINESSES HAVE UNITED<br />

UNDER ONE ROOF AT THE COMPANY’S HEADQUARTERS IN LICHFIELD<br />

One of the UK’s leading funeral suppliers - the<br />

family-owned Jukes Group - has set up its company<br />

headquarters in Lichfield. The decision means that the<br />

family’s funeral businesses are now united under the<br />

same roof.<br />

The group has moved its headquarters to Tamworth<br />

Street, from where the company’s six coffin and funeral<br />

supplies factories are now run, sharing its new home<br />

with Jukes Funeral Services.<br />

Jukes Funeral Services has been providing its classleading<br />

services to bereaved families in and around<br />

Lichfield since 2017, with coffins and floristry all<br />

supplied from the group’s family.<br />

The Jukes Group can trace its roots back more than 70<br />

years when brothers Derick and Dennis Jukes, who ran<br />

a joinery business in Balsall Heath supplying the local<br />

building trade, began making coffins for a local funeral<br />

director and soon became the major coffin supplier in<br />

the region.<br />

The group is now run by Stewart Jukes, the son of<br />

Derick, and his wife Katherine. Stewart joined the<br />

business in 1981 as a bench hand, and worked his way<br />

up to director. Under his leadership the business has<br />

grown substantially.<br />

Stewart and Katherine’s three daughters are also<br />

involved in the family businesses: Sophie is owner and<br />

managing director of Jukes Funeral Services; Jemma,<br />

who qualified at the Covent Garden Academy of<br />

Floristry, specialises in bespoke funeral floristry; while<br />

Pip runs the company’s e-commerce and social media.<br />

Sophie Jukes said: “From our offices in Lichfield we<br />

are able to offer a first-class service for families, with a<br />

focus on detail. Having control of funeral floristry and<br />

THE JUKES FAMILY<br />

MD SOPHIE JUKES<br />

coffin supply gives us more control of the overall service<br />

which can sometimes elude the larger providers.”<br />

Jemma Jukes said funeral and sympathy flowers could<br />

be a sensitive subject, but with the experience of her<br />

family behind her she was able to advise on the most<br />

appropriate floral tributes.<br />

“As part of the process, we will discuss favourite colours<br />

and flowers, even if it’s something out of the ordinary.<br />

We are able to accommodate specific or unusual<br />

requests appropriate for the deceased. After we have<br />

agreed on the tributes, the client can have the peace<br />

of mind from knowing that they will be perfect on the<br />

day.”<br />

Jukes Funeral Services opened its second funeral home<br />

in Tamworth in 2018, and a third in Brownhills earlier<br />

this year. All three branches offer the same level of<br />

personal and professional service to the bereaved,<br />

drawing on the family’s extensive experience in looking<br />

after people at a difficult time in their lives.<br />

Stewart Jukes said the move to Lichfield was the natural<br />

thing to do as the family home was just outside the<br />

city in Longdon Green, and the Jukes Funeral Services<br />

funeral homes were headquartered in Lichfield.<br />

The Jukes Group includes Midland Funeral Supplies<br />

which has coffin-making facilities in West Bromwich,<br />

Beverley in East Yorkshire, Upton-on-Severn in<br />

Worcestershire, Plymouth and Perth and Annan in<br />

Scotland.<br />

For more details visit<br />

www.jukesfuneralservices.com<br />

48<br />

www.jaimemagazine.com


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I N T H E N E W S<br />

A successful first year<br />

DAVISONS LAW LICHFIELD COMMEMORATED THEIR ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY<br />

WITH A DONATION OF £5,000 TO LOCAL CHARITY ST GILES HOSPICE<br />

Davisons Law are proud to have celebrated the first<br />

anniversary of the firm’s Lichfield office.<br />

Located in Bore Street, the office has quickly made a<br />

mark on the high street, gaining a strong reputation<br />

among local estate agents and like-minded business<br />

contacts, who were invited to attend the anniversary<br />

celebration at the Lichfield office.<br />

Davisons acquired the space in July 2022, with a focus<br />

on the firm’s long-term strategy to consolidate its<br />

position as the largest conveyancing practice in the<br />

West Midlands, as verified by the latest Land Registry<br />

Transaction data. One year on, Davisons Law now<br />

has a dedicated team of highly experienced solicitors<br />

based in Lichfield, providing advice on a range of legal<br />

areas such as Residential Property (Buying and Selling),<br />

Private Client, Wills and Estate Planning, Lasting<br />

Powers of Attorney and Probate.<br />

Director Helen Bartlam said: “Lichfield is a thriving<br />

city and we’re excited to be able to be part of the local<br />

community providing a wide range of legal expertise to<br />

those in the area. One year on and it’s exciting to see<br />

the success we’ve had so far. Our presence in Lichfield<br />

has grown rapidly and I am excited to see what’s in<br />

store for us in the years to come.’’<br />

As part of the celebration, Davisons were proud to<br />

donate £5,000 to St. Giles Hospice. St Giles is a charity<br />

which helped more than 7,000 people with an incurable<br />

illness last year. The donation from the firm is to be put<br />

towards providing support for these individuals, as well<br />

as offering bereavement support to those who are in<br />

need.<br />

Following the donation, Davisons have partnered with<br />

St Giles on their charity drive March of the Elephants<br />

to help raise vital funds for the hospice.<br />

Associate director Witney Tully commented on the<br />

donation: ‘‘It is a privilege to have such a good working<br />

relationship with a great charity like St Giles. The work<br />

they do is superb, and we thought that there would be<br />

no better way to celebrate our one-year anniversary<br />

than making such a worthwhile donation to a great<br />

cause.’’<br />

DAVISONS LAW<br />

CELEBRATED THEIR FIRST<br />

ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR<br />

LICHFIELD OFFICE<br />

50<br />

www.jaimemagazine.com


Looking for your<br />

new home?<br />

Trust us to make the conveyancing<br />

process as smooth and stress-free<br />

as possible<br />

Call us on 01543 387 509.<br />

No.1 Property Lawyers<br />

We are the No.1 Property Lawyers in<br />

the West Midlands and Warwickshire<br />

by transactional volume. We have<br />

the efficiencies and capacity of a big<br />

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Personal Service<br />

It’s not just about providing advice;<br />

all of our clients have a story and it<br />

deserves a personal service.<br />

Over 1,000 5-star reviews<br />

With over 1000+ 5-star Google<br />

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provide a service you will be satisfied<br />

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itself.<br />

Local office<br />

We are located on the highstreet of<br />

Lichfield if you prefer to deal with us<br />

in person.<br />

SCAN FOR MORE INFO<br />

Find us in Lichfield:<br />

2a Bore Street, Lichfield,<br />

Staffordshire, WS13 6LL.


WELCOME TO BAYLISS BATHROOMS,<br />

THE LARGEST INDEPENDENT LUXURY<br />

BATHROOM SPECIALIST IN THE REGION.<br />

OUR UNRIVALLED ONE STOP PROJECT<br />

MANAGED SERVICE, FROM DESIGN<br />

THROUGH TO INSTALLATION, IS FOCUSED<br />

ON TURNING YOUR DREAM BATHROOM<br />

INTO REALITY.<br />

WHATEVER YOUR REQUIREMENTS,<br />

WE CAN PROVIDE YOUR BATHROOM<br />

SOLUTION. WE WELCOME YOU TO VISIT<br />

OUR NEW WEBSITE OR SHOWROOM TO<br />

EXPLORE THE BAYLISS EXPERIENCE AND<br />

ALL THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO YOU<br />

We offer a complete ‘One Stop’ process to turn your bathroom dreams into reality, which includes:<br />

• A bespoke 2,500 sq ft showroom with over 20 bathroom displays located in Sutton Coldfield<br />

• A specialist design team to create designs to match your every need<br />

• Expert knowledge of our partner brands giving you access to superb products and tiles.<br />

• In-house installation teams working to the highest possible standards<br />

• Management of all aspects of the Project, providing you with a single point of contact, every step of the way<br />

• For those customers who require a Supply Only service, access to all leading brands at competitive cost.<br />

BAYLISS BATHROOMS, 23 GATE LANE, BOLDMERE, SUTTON COLDFIELD B73 5TR<br />

0121 362 1800 - www.baylissbathrooms.co.uk

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